Cinemax Nears Pickup of 'Chemistry' Series

I hear Cinemax is finalizing the deals for a 13-episode order to Chemistry, a half-hour dramedy for late night that is executive produced by CAA co-founder Bill Haber. Richard Christian Matheson and Norman Steinberg have written all 13 episodes of the series, about the complexity of the relationship between Liz and Michael, who have strong physical attraction bordering on erotic madness. The series, said to have overtones of Last Tango in Paris and an upscale, sophisticated Red Shoe Diaries, is executive produced by Haber and Jeff Hayes, with Matheson and Steinberg serving as co-executive producers. In anticipation of a series greenlight, Chemistry has already started casting. Cinemax has been making a big push in original programming with three recent primetime action series orders: Strike Back, The Transporter and The Sector. Unlike those series, which are bigger-budget, mainstream entertainment, in its late-night scripted efforts, including Chemistry, the network is staying closer to its brand of erotic late-night programming. Chemistry joins another scripted late-night Cinemax series, the upcoming anthology Femme Fatales.